CITIZENS COMPASS—The Kano State Government has dragged its former Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, two of his sons, and many others before the Kano State High Court.
The suspects were dragged to court over an alleged ₦4.49 billion fraud.
According to the suit, the government seeks to recover the state’s 20 per cent equity stake in Dala Inland Dry Port Limited and to reclaim ₦4,492,387,013.76 in public funds said to have been misappropriated.
Filed on October 13, 2025, the fraud case lists as defendants: Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; his sons, Umar Abdullahi Umar and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar; his former Special Adviser, Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro; Hassan Bello, former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council; Adamu Aliyu Sanda, a legal practitioner; and Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.
The defendants face a ten-count charge, including criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, breach of trust, and conflict of interest.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly conspired to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent of the dry port’s shares, including the state’s 20 per cent equity, to private interests under a shell company known as City Green Enterprise.
Prosecutors allege that the transaction was deliberately structured to conceal the true ownership of the port project, which was initially conceived to boost Kano’s economic infrastructure.
“The defendants deliberately hijacked a federal initiative and used proxies and fake entities to conceal the diversion of public assets meant for the people of Kano State,” the prosecution stated.
The prosecution further claims that over ₦4.49 billion in public funds was siphoned under the guise of infrastructure development at the dry port, including the construction of a dual carriageway, electricity, and fencing.
Government investigators allege that these projects were financed with state resources but structured to benefit private firms owned by Ganduje, his sons and their associates in a way the government alleges as a fraud.
The summary of evidence indicates that the initial board of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited included a representative of the Kano State Government, Abdullahi Haruna.
However, the alleged share transfer was said to have been executed unilaterally by former Governor Ganduje without the consent of other board members.
The case is expected to feature several high-profile witnesses, including the lead investigating officer and an early stakeholder who claims he was sidelined during the alleged takeover.
Also expected to be presented in the fraud case against Ganduje and his sons, is a policy document from the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, reportedly confirming Kano State’s 20 per cent equity in the dry port project.
According to the prosecution, the fourth defendant was tasked with verifying the state’s equity share, evidence that will be central to the case.
Documents allegedly falsified to mislead regulators will also be tendered, along with evidence of a ₦750 million transaction channelled through Safari Textile Ltd.
—GWG
